


Sending All My Love To You

by bethgally11



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, COVID19 pandemic mentioned, Car Accidents, Character Death, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Coronavirus, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, F/M, Homophobic Language, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, My First AO3 Post, Original Character(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Religion, Resurrection, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, Shit this is so bad, Sorry again, Spirits, Suicidal Thoughts, Talking To Dead People, Team as Family, i had a dream about this wtf is wrong with me, not in a homophobic way tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:54:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26530960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethgally11/pseuds/bethgally11
Summary: Robby loses Sammy.**For a few months.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 1





	Sending All My Love To You

**Author's Note:**

> This is just one of many stories I have written in my lifetime. It SUCKS but I’m a teenage girl not a bestselling writer so whatever.
> 
> Many of these characters are HEAVILY based off of real people. See if you can find out who!
> 
> Set in 2035-36 (near future).
> 
> Title from “Last Night on Earth” by Green Day

It’s a miracle the phone doesn’t break when Robby throws it across the room.

He hadn’t ended the call before he sent the phone flying, so his twin sister heard everything. She was the one to hang up, realizing immediately that her brother was done talking. 

Riley saw the crash. She and Vince had been following Sammy to the mall, where the three of them were going to buy Robby a lovely birthday gift for his twenty-first birthday. 

The other car came completely out of nowhere. 

Riley slammed on her brakes. Sammy didn’t. 

Her words are still fresh in Robby’s mind. He doesn’t want to believe what she said to him just seconds ago. He wants to believe that Sammy is okay, even forcing himself to believe it as if his thoughts will magically heal Sammy. 

Riley had said that she and Vince would come over to drive Robby to the hospital. Riley and Vince live right next door, so Robby knows that it will take them only a minute or so to walk to his house. Still, it’s completely unexpected when the doorbell rings. Robby reluctantly drags himself up and off the couch, feeling like each of his bones weighs a thousand pounds. 

The door swings open. Riley takes one look at her brother’s face before wrapping him in a hug so tight it nearly crushes him. 

“Let’s go,” Riley whispers into her twin brother’s chest. 

“Yeah.” 

******** 

_Robby met Sammy in the summer of 2033, right before the start of his first year with the Anaheim Ducks. They were unlikely friends given they had very few things in common, but they immediately clicked anyway. Sammy soon became Robby’s best friend both on and off the ice. They talked about everything, from their favorite sports teams to music to their preferred subjects from grade school. After just a few weeks, they were inseparable._

__

_Robby soon trusted Sammy enough to tell him about his sexuality. He hadn’t told anyone he was gay except for his father, his stepmother, his three sisters, and some of his other close friends and teammates. He only told people that he really trusted out of fear of getting bullied, beaten, or something worse._

____

_“What’s up, kid?” Sammy smiled at Robby as the younger man sat down nervously on Sammy’s couch._

_____ _

_“I need to tell you something,” Robby said, then let out his confession in the next breath. “I’m not straight. You know, sexuality-wise.”_

______ _ _

_Sammy just smiled again and giggled softly. “Oh, Robby. I’m totally fine with that. I’m not straight either.”_

_______ _ _ _

_Robby was shocked. “But you have a girlfriend.”_

________ _ _ _ _

_Sammy shrugged. “I’m a two-handed batter, if you know what I mean.”_

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_“Oh,” Robby let out a relieved sigh. “Well, that’s great. It’s good to know that I can trust you, Sammy.”_

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Sammy grinned. “You can always trust me.”_

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_A few weeks later, Zach stopped Robby while he was on his way to his car. “You’re a fuckin’ idiot, dude. You gotta tell Sam.”_

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“What?” Robby was confused. “I already told him that I’m gay, and he said it’s alright.”_

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Not that, Robert, the other thing,” Robby’s teammate huffed in his strong Massachusetts accent. Before Robby could ask what he meant, Zach was gone._

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby didn’t know what Zach meant at that moment, but he would know way sooner than expected._

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t have to look at him if you don’t want to,” Riley rests a hand on Robby’s shoulder as the doctor guides them towards Sammy’s room. “All of us will understand.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby glares at his sister. “He was my boyfriend, Riley, and I loved him. I have to say goodbye. I don’t care what he looks like.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We’re just warning you that you’re about to see a dead body,” Colton, one of Robby’s Ducks teammates, adds. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know what I’m looking at, you idiot,” Robby snaps furiously. “My sister told me the same thing that she told you.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Colton flinches, quickly realizing that his teammate did not want to be spoken to. “Sorry.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ryan is the next one to speak up. “Just know that we’ll always be there for you no matter what happens, Robert.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby lets out a shaky sigh. “Thanks, Ry.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No problem, kid,” Ryan says before throwing an arm over his shoulder gently and stopping at a door. “Well, this is the room. He’s still in there, so...you know, do your thing. Take however long you want. We’ll wait out here for you.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby tries to swallow the lump in his throat, but it only swells. “You’re the best, Ryan.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby opens the door, shuts it, and gasps. Sammy is laying on the bed, as was expected, but he’s so obviously dead. His skin is as white as porcelain with the exception of the purple bruises on his face and neck, and his chest does not rise or fall. His eyes are closed, and his lips are tainted a fair shade of blue. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Still, he looks so peaceful. Robby’s seen Sammy take pregame naps before, and they looked almost exactly like this. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby chokes on his tears as he stumbles over to the dead body of the love of his life. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby always remembered exactly where he was when Sammy kissed him. He was sitting on the bed in Room 284 of a Hilton in St. Louis, and the Ducks had defeated the Blues by a decent score of 5-1. Sammy had scored the last goal of the game less than halfway through the third and final period, and Robby decided that it was the perfect time to confess his feelings to Sammy._

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Sammy broke up with his girlfriend, Melanie, four days earlier. She was constantly pressuring him into things he didn’t want to do, and the rest of the WAGs absolutely despised her. The worst thing about her was that she didn’t believe that Sammy’s clinical depression was real, and that was the absolute last straw for Sammy._

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Shortly after Zach told Robby that he had to tell Sam something, Robby figured out that the “something” that he had to tell Sam about was the fact that he was in love with him. Robby figured that he had at least a shot at dating Sammy after the whole breakup thing, but he was still quite nervous._

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby and Sammy sat on the bed for a while and talked. Robby drowned out most of the conversation, but he snapped right out of his trance when he heard Sammy say that Robby meant a lot to him. The look in his eyes went right to Robby’s core, and he forced himself to look down as he went bright red._

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Is it hot in here or is it just me?” Robby mumbled, then groaned. He cringed internally after realizing what an idiot he had been two seconds ago. He had just started to move away when he felt a hand on his thigh._

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby chanced a look back up and saw Sammy struggling to meet his gaze, his cheeks colored a lovely shade of pink. “It’s not just you.”_

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby was a hockey player. His job was to keep his head in the game, but he couldn’t stop his mind from completely blanking when Sammy kissed him. He still managed to kiss back despite his nervousness, threading his fingers through Sammy’s soft brown hair._

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_He soon found himself lying on his back, Sammy positioned on top of him, but their activities were strictly limited to just kissing. Both of them were completely fine with this, though. Robby knew that if he had the choice, he would stay here kissing Sammy forever. It felt like Heaven on Earth._

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Sammy eventually pulled away, out of breath. “Robby, I’m in love with you.”_

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby nearly choked on his own spit. “Oh, Sammy, I’m in love with you too.”_

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Sammy’s awkwardness took over, and he was silent for a long time. “Um, so...can we be boyfriends now?”_

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby smacked Sammy’s arm playfully. “Yes, you huge dork. We just made out!”_

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Sammy’s face lit up, and he pulled Robby in for another kiss. Robby went gladly._

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I just...he was so young,” Robby whispers. “It shouldn’t have ended like this. It shouldn’t have ended at all.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Riley hugs her brother. “I should’ve honked my horn to warn him. Oh, Robby, I’m so sorry.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It isn’t your fault,” Robby assures his twin. “It will never, ever be your fault. All I’m saying is that I’d give anything in the world to bring Sammy back.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We all would,” Matthew says. “He was my best friend’s boyfriend, which means he was my best friend too. There isn’t a person in this room who doesn’t mourn his loss.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The priest entered then, and everyone sat. “Welcome, everybody. We gather here to celebrate the life of Samuel Étienne Tremblay, who lived from the 17th of June 2011 to the 27th of June 2035. Sammy, as he was called by many of his friends, family, and loved ones, was born to Arnaud and Elodie Tremblay of Montmagny, Québec, in the summer of 2011. He was born into a hockey-loving family and first skated when he was two. He cheered passionately for the Montréal Canadiens, a Tremblay family tradition dating back to 1909...” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby drowns out most of the speech. He used to love to talk to Sammy about their early lives, but now he knows that he will no longer be able to do that. Tears run down his cheeks, and his heart is burning. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He’s really going to miss the way Sammy cursed at the TV in French every time Robby’s beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, a rival team of the Canadiens, scored. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby only snaps back into reality when he hears the priest say his name. “First up to speak at the podium is Robert Lewis, boyfriend of the late Samuel Tremblay.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby gets out of his seat and stumbles up to the podium. He knows his appearance is less than attractive. His hair is untamed, his eyes are red from crying, and there are tear stains on his jacket. He knows this, but he also knows that there’s nothing he can do. Who wouldn’t look like their heart has just been ripped out of their chest when their dead partner is less than a meter away? 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sure everyone in this room will agree with me when I say that I wish this wasn’t happening right now,” Robert starts, and everyone nods in agreement. “Sammy Tremblay has touched all of our hearts at one point. He has shown us what true compassion, kindness, and selflessness looks like. When Sammy’s life was tragically cut short, he was actually in the process of buying me a birthday present, so that’s an example of the type of person he was in his lifetime.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby wipes some tears away as his small audience looks on. “Sammy was my person. My soulmate. The love of my life, or whatever else you want to call it. I connected with Sammy in a way that I’d never connected with anyone before. Every day I woke up, confused on how I was able to find someone so close to perfection. After every game we played for the Ducks, he would lay in bed next to me and talk to me, win or loss. I woke up every morning and looked forward to all the sweet little hugs and kisses he would give me that day.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robert looks up and sees his youngest sister, Rachel, crying softly. He smiles sadly at her and continues. “Sammy had a lot of talents. He was a fantastic hockey player, and he was amazing at cooking. He was especially good at singing, and I always enjoyed listening to his voice. Most of all, he was a beloved brother, son, and boyfriend. Sammy is in Heaven now, but he will never not be missed by those of us still on Earth. Rest in eternal peace, Sammy Étienne Tremblay.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby walks back to his seat, not even looking at Sammy’s body as he goes. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Sammy, baby, look at me,” Robby pleaded with his boyfriend as the older man stared silently at his hands._

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“You’re going to yell at me,” Sammy protested quietly as Robby tightened the gauze on Sammy’s wrists._

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby looked up. “No, no, no, Sammy, I’m not going to yell at you. It’s just going to make you more upset than you already are. Listen to me, alright? Why did you do this to yourself?”_

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Someone told me that I’m a depressed fag and that I should kill myself,” Sammy ducked his head again. “I was just testing to see how much it would hurt.”_

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Robby’s heart actually started to hurt. “Sammy. Don’t let just anyone tell you what to do, especially when it’s something serious like taking your own life. You are your own person, and you can’t change the fact that you like guys. You are loved by so many people, Sammy. Please don’t leave us.”_

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“I’ll try my absolute hardest not lo leave,” Sammy said, and when he looked into Robert’s eyes, Robert could tell that the statement was true._

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Welcome back, Mr. Lewis,” James Greene, the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, greets Robby as the young Canadian walks into the dressing room. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey, Coach,” Robby attempts a smile. “Glad to be back.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby approaches his stall, but he has to stop a stall short so he can try to get his sudden wave of emotion under control. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The stall next to his used to belong to Sammy. They would get ready for games and practices together almost every day before Sammy died. The car crash that ended Sammy’s life was almost two months before training camp was set to begin, so Robby figured that that was more than enough time to clean out the stall and set it up for a different player. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

That wasn’t what had happened, though. Instead, Robby was face-to-face with a memorial wall dedicated to Sammy. His nameplate wasn’t removed from the top of the stall either, and Sammy’s name and number were just as clearly printed as they had been on the final day of the Ducks’ season. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I hope you like it,” Mackenzie approaches Robby shyly. “Sorry that we forgot to tell you about it. A bunch of us came in and set it up as soon as we heard.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s amazing,” Robby responds, still in awe of the whole display. He reaches down gently and picks up a photograph that is placed in the center of the stall. It’s of him and Sammy on the day they got their personal Stanley Cup rings. Sammy has his arm wrapped around Robby, and he has a blinding smile on his face. He looks like nothing in the world could ever hurt him. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby clutches the photo to his chest as he feels dampness in the corner of his eyes. The first tear rolls down his cheek without his permission, and he angrily swipes it away. He can’t cry here, not in the dressing room. He misses Sammy, but he knows he can’t cry. If he can’t even make it through training camp without a breakdown, he knows he‘ll be seen as weak. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby tries and tries to look away from the picture in his hands, but his eyes are locked in place. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The tears come faster and faster now, and Robby can’t help himself. He breaks down and falls to his knees, his hands clutching the stall’s bench as he sobs. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Coach Greene notices his player’s obvious discomfort. “You can leave if you want, Mr. Lewis.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And Robby doesn’t want to leave. He wants to be strong. He was always strong for Sammy, and Sammy loved that. He can’t be weak. He has to do this for Sammy. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But he can’t. Robby can’t practice when all that’s in his head is a constant repetition of _Sammy’s dead, Sammy’s dead, Sammy’s dead._ If he can’t even manage to get up off the floor or think about Sammy without crying, how is he ever going to practice? 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby never answers Coach Greene’s statement, so the coach starts to move away. “Robby, I’m going to call your sister and see if she can drive you home.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby is too busy crying to talk, so he just nods, feeling defeated. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Riley shows up a few minutes later, and Robert is still on the floor. The coach gives Riley permission to enter the locker room, which the young woman does. She runs over to her brother and drops down to his level, wrapping him in a hug. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Rob,” she murmurs. “Let’s go back home, alright?” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby protests, shaking his head. “No, no. I can’t be weak. Sammy wouldn’t want me to be weak.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Robert.” Riley says firmly. “Sammy would understand. You are still grieving the loss of someone that was really important to you. It doesn’t make you weak, Robby. I would do the same thing if...if...well, if anything happened to Vince. Trust me, it’s normal.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby just nods so his sister will stop trying to convince him of something that he knows isn’t true. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The drive home is complete silence except for the soft sound of a Jimmy Eat World song playing from Riley’s phone. They pull into the driveway of Robby’s house in a few minutes, and the twins climb out of the car. Riley tries to follow her brother into the house, but he firmly shakes his head no. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I need some time to grieve on my own, Riley,” he sighs. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Robby, all of my professors have said that grief is easier when you find support,” Riley protests. “I understand if you want to be alone, but it hurts when I know you’re going through a tough time and I can’t help you.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Robby is silent for a few moments as he decides. Finally, he sighs quietly and looks up at his sister. “Thank you for helping, Riley. You can come inside.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Riley smiled. “Anytime, Robby.” 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_The Ducks poured off the visitors’ bench in one huge mass of humanity as soon as they heard the sound of the buzzer. Game 7 was over, and they had managed a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning._

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_The Anaheim Ducks were the 2034 Stanley Cup champions._

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_The team gathered in a huge mass around Jordan, their heroic goalie. Robby and Sammy were among the group, but they were unable to see each other until the giant mass of people around the net spread out a bit. Once they spotted each other, they raced towards one another and hugged like it was the last time they’d ever see each other._

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Love you, Rob,” Sammy mumbled into Robert’s shoulder as he embraced him._

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Love you too, Sam,” Robby kissed Sammy’s neck lightly but promptly backed away. “You kind of smell like sweat, though.”_

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Sammy giggled. “So do you. I still love you, though. Are you ready to lift the Cup?”_

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“I’ve been preparing for this moment since the first time I ever set foot on the ice,” Robby squeezed Sammy’s shoulder gently as they skated over to the thirty-three-pound Stanley Cup._

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_That night, Robby dreamed of him and Sammy lifting the Cup as a married couple. There were rings around Robby’s finger, and his last name was Tremblay instead of Lewis. He woke up feeling blissful, knowing that it was his main goal to make that dream come true one day._

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

******** 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I have something that’s been driving me insane, Riley,” Robby confesses. “I’ve been having these flashbacks ever since Sammy died. I can’t stop thinking about him and wishing that our time together hadn’t been cut short.” 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Robby, thinking about him and missing him is normal,” Riley assures him. “It’s been less than three months since he passed on. This is a normal part of the grieving process.” 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know that, but that’s not what’s happening to me,” Robby explains. “Sammy occupies my mind every hour of the day and night. I go to sleep crying into the pillow where he used to rest his head. Riley, sometimes I don’t want to live anymore because I know I’ll never be able to stop wishing that Sammy is still here.” 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well,” Riley says, then thinks for a moment. “That does sound much more intense than grieving. The only thing I can think of to help you is seeing if you have depression, then getting you the proper medication and therapy if you do. It’s a shame that there’s no way to bring Sammy back, because I know that that’s the one thing you truly want.” 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If only,” Robert mumbles, staring at the floor. “If only.”

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
